Category: Dual Living Home Guides

Yes. Most dual living projects in Melbourne require a planning permit and a building permit. Under Amendment VC267 (in effect from March 2025), the planning process has been streamlined for eligible sites but permits are still required. Ardmillian manages the complete town planning process as part of every project.

Most projects take 18 to 24 months from initial design through to handover covering design, planning permit, building permit, and construction. Council assessment is typically the biggest variable. Getting your builder involved early, before plans are drawn, is the best way to manage that timeline.

It depends on the configuration and your council. Side-by-side designs generally need at least 15 metres of frontage. Front-to-back designs can work on narrower blocks with enough depth. Corner blocks are often the most flexible option. Send Ardmillian your address and we’ll give you a straight answer for your specific site.

Yes this is one of the most common reasons Melbourne homeowners build dual occupancy. Living in one side while renting the other offsets the project cost and generates ongoing income. Getting the design right matters: acoustic separation, separate entries, and independent outdoor areas make the day-to-day arrangement work properly. See our duplex and dual occupancy page for more detail.

A granny flat is typically a smaller, secondary dwelling sometimes attached, sometimes detached and in most cases subject to different (and simpler) planning rules. A dual living home means two full, self-contained dwellings of comparable size on the same block. The planning process, design requirements, and potential value are all quite different.